He's also charged with intending to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.

"We have determined that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that these charges are in the public interest," said Sue Hemming, head of Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service.

Downey made an initial court appearance, at Westminster Magistrates' Court, on Wednesday afternoon.

In 1987, IRA member Gilbert "Danny" McNamee was ordered jailed for 25 years for making the bomb. The conviction was later overturned, and McNamee was freed.

The Good Friday peace deal in 1998 largely brought to an end three decades of violence over the question of whether Northern Ireland should stay under British control or join the Republic of Ireland, as republicans want.